Obesity May Be Determined In Womb By Mother's Lifestyle | HuffPost Life

Obesity May Be Determined In Womb By Mother's Lifestyle

Georgia James— The Huffington Post UK

A pregnant woman’s diet and lifestyle could have an effect on her child’s weight later in life, a study has found.

Scientists discovered a link between DNA changes at birth and the BMI of the child aged nine.

The study, published in journal Plos One, looked at data from a study of 178 babies, which took blood samples from the umbilical cord to analyse genes that are known to be linked to body weight.

They found that nine of the 24 genes analysed were linked to the child’s weight age nine.

Lead researcher, Professor Caroline Relton, Senior Lecturer in Epigenetic Epidemiology at Newcastle University, told the BBC: "Other studies have just taken genes at birth and looked at differences irrespective of whether they are differently expressed with different levels of obesity.”

She added: "The difference between this study and others is that we had a reason to focus on the genes we looked at because we knew they were differently expressed in children with a higher BMI."

There is growing evidence to support the idea that environmental factors like diet, exercise, stress and smoking can affect when genes are ‘switched on and off’ even while in the womb.

However, Dr Relton points out that further research is needed to prove that these changes in DNA could be contributing to obesity.

She added: "While we have discovered an association between these genes and body size in childhood we need to carry out further studies to establish whether influencing the expression of these genes by altering epigenetic patterns is indeed a trigger to obesity."

There is no doubt a healthy, balanced diet is essential during pregnancy to promote optimum health for mother and baby. Here is our roundup of the best pregnancy 'superfoods'...

Superfoods For Pregnancy

Superfoods For Pregnancy(01 of12)

(credit:Alamy)

Tofu Smoothie(02 of12)

Benefit To Baby: Healthy GrowthProtein is needed to build and repair cells, and is essential to a baby's development and growth. Red meat and dairy are rich in protein, but they're also high in saturated fats. Balance your diet with fish protein (in all fish products), which also contains essential fatty acids. And don't forget vegetable protein, which includes brown rice, quinoa, chickpeas, lentils, baked beans, pumpkin seeds and cashew nuts.A great alternative protein source, tofu is low in fat and will help balance those blood sugar levels. Add to juice from pomegranate and mixed berries for a sweet drink that also packs a powerful antioxidant punch. (credit:Alamy)

Sunflower Seeds(03 of12)

Benefit For Mother And Baby: Boost Energy Levels And Provides Nutrition To BabyIron is vital for your baby's physical growth and brain development, and helps produce the blood required to supply nutrition to the placenta.Not enough iron, and you can feel tired and be more susceptible to infections. There's also a greater risk of premature birth and your baby having a low birth weight. (credit:Alamy)

Eggs(04 of12)

Benefit To Baby: Brain DevelopmentVitamin B6, also known as pyridoxine, helps your body metabolise protein, fats, and carbohydrates. It also helps form new red blood cells, antibodies, and neurotransmitters, and is vital to your baby's developing brain and nervous system. (credit:Alamy)

Pumpkin(05 of12)

Benefit To Mother: Helps ConstipationMany pregnant women suffer from constipation, which is cause by an influx of hormonal changes that play havoc with the digestive system. It To avoid discomfort and to help regulate your bowels, eating a rich fibre diet will help get things moving, as they help absorb excess acid and gas, help to speed up digestion and empty your stomach faster.Foods like brown rice, dried figs, kidney beans and avocado are all rich sources of fibre. Pumpkins are great as they offer fibre plus it's said to act like a mild laxative. (credit:Alamy)

Yoghurt And Honey(06 of12)

Benefit To Mother And Baby: Increases Energy Levels And Bone BuildingHigh in calcium (important during pregnancy for building your baby's bones) with a sweet kick from the honey, this treat should tide you over without making you sleepy.Dairy foods provide vitamins A and D, which are essential for bone-building and bone maintenance for you and your baby. They are also a good source of protein. (credit:Alamy)

Figs(07 of12)

Benefit to Mother: Eases Heartburn And Water RetentionDried figs are laden with digestive enzymes, which should help you to digest your food and ease those heartburn symptoms. They're also rich in the essential mineral potassium, which helps to maintain the body's fluid balance during pregnancy, which is essential to battling swollen legs, hands and ankles. (credit:Alamy)

Oily Fish(08 of12)

Benefit To Baby: Maintains Healthy Nervous SystemOmega-3 fatty acids are vital for your baby's brain and nervous system, as well as your own mental health.Foods rich in omega-3 include oily fish like fresh tuna, mackerel and sardines, although restrict your intake to twice a week, as too much fish can increase risk of pollutants.Fatty acids help brain development and work to improve its function, so as well as being nutritious, slow-releasing energy snacks, like sesame seeds, which help keep you mentally alert and working well throughout the day. (credit:Alamy)

Ginger(09 of12)

Benefit To Mother: Alleviates Morning SicknessGinger has long been associated with alleviating nausea and has been used as a medicine in Asian, Indian, and Arabic herbal traditions since ancient times. In China, for example, ginger has been used to help digestion and treat stomach upset, diarrhea, and nausea for more than 2,000 years.Ginger biscuits are a good food to nibble on when the nausea starts, or sip on ginger tea or suck on ginger flavoured sweets. Peppermint and mint are also great nausea-relieving agents too. (credit:Alamy)

Sweet Potato(10 of12)

Benefit To Baby: Strengthens BonesSweet potatoes offer a rich source of folic acid, which helps prevent neural tube defects in foetuses. It also protects your unborn baby from spinal cord problems, such as spina bifida. lentils are also a great for increasing your folic acid intake, as one cup provides 358mcg of folic acid, almost the daily requirement of 400mcg.Fruits like strawberries are a great way to get your folic acid, and even tastier if you dip them in chocolate!Scientists in Finland found that eating chocolate when pregnant resulted in happier, livelier babies, but keep your waistline in mind and be conservative when dipping. (credit:Alamy)

Almonds And Apricots(11 of12)

Benefit To Mother: Curbs Food CravingsA handful of almonds and apricots will provide you with a sweet kick that's high in protein - this will help to curb cravings as well as keeping you feeling fuller for longer. (credit:Alamy)

Parsnips(12 of12)

Benefit To Mother: Protects From Pre-eclampsiaParsnips are a good source of fibre and folate (the natural form of folic acid), as well as providing potassium (associated with a lowering in blood pressure) which is vital for protecting against pre-eclampsia, a condition caused by high blood pressure. (credit:Alamy)

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